Beautiful and Private home in the Heart of the Village with great Volcano views! Reviews, Deals & Photos 2025

Q: Is Beautiful and Private home in the Heart of the Village with great Volcano views! pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

Q: Where is Beautiful and Private home in the Heart of the Village with great Volcano views! located?

Situated on a lake, this vacation home is within a 10-minute walk of Arenal Eco Zoo and Lake Arenal. Butterfly Conservatory and Costa Rica Sky Adventures are also within 3 mi (5 km).

10/10 Excellent

Christian S.

Jan 7, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice stay

"Very nice stay in El Castillo. The cottage is very well equipped and offers an incredible view from the terrace. The site is perfect for birdwatching; I observed a wide variety of species. The view of the Arenal Volcano is exceptional. I highly recommend this place for a short stay in the area."

Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kevin C.

Dec 10, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Trip to Costa Rica

There was lots to do within walking distance of the home, otherwise it was a short drive, the butterfly sanctuary was very good and the motorcycle restaurant basically next door was very good as well

Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Charles C.

Dec 6, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place to visit the region

Lovely place in a quiet bedroom village about 15 minutes from Fortuna. We preferred that because Fortuna is a crowded mess. The house itself is lovely and spacious. Great views if it's not raining. Also, Agustin was easily available a d quite helpful.

Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Vicki L.

Feb 16, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Good location

We enjoyed our stay at this property. Close to all the activities we wanted to do. Check in/out was super easy. Would stay here again.

Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

Dustin S.

Feb 18, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

El Castillo

Wonderful home with a great view of volcano. Close to amenities, dining, activities. Locals are super nice.

Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mélanie T.

Jul 30, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Arenal volcano

The view, the patio, the birds, including toucans! All perfect! Traditionnel cute house! Thank you!

Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Todd R.

Dec 22, 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful View

quiet spot with lots to do nearby

Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Maki K.

Jan 26, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Loved our stay!

This place was amazing! About a 30 min drive to most of the excursions that we did. Agustin was a great host and provided us with some great excursion and restaurant recommendations. Would love to come back! ❤️

Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Liz K.

Feb 5, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful four-night stay

Unique and comfortable home with lovely backyard views. The check-in and check-out processes were easy and fast. The center offered many suggestions for activities in the area which was greatly appreciated. We loved the local restaurants and the excellent bakery that was just down the road.

Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Michael M., Wisconsin

Feb 11, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Rainforest wonderland!

The house was amazing! The host was so responsive and want to thank you so much for a great 3 days! We loved your house and location. Thanks for sharing with us!

Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Maxim B.

Jan 21, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing views!!

Lovely property with magical feel Gorgeous views Bring rain gear and find things to do in the rain as well as dry time All activities and stores are within 5 to 25 min away Had a fantastic time here👌

Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Anna D.

Feb 14, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Winter get away

Property was lovely. Agustin was amazing to work with and he made all our reservations which was very helpful. Views from the property were fantastic and we saw many native birds including toucans. Tried many of the local restaurants and the food was very good.

Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer M.

Jan 14, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Miss Back patio and welcome center already!

This property is off the beaten path in charming El Castillo which we enjoyed. Need 4W drive. Family of 5 very much enjoyed the back patio/hammock...so many birds, hummingbirds, Arenal view, and flowers. The welcome center folks are OUTSTANDING and helped us with recommendations of where to shop and amazing tours. 1 bed creaky but comfortable.

Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Clare M.

Jan 8, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Loved the Birds and the Food

We really enjoyed our stay in El Castillo. The town is not as busy as La Fortuna and the home has a beautiful backyard view. We only had to walk a few steps to reach La Ventanita, which is a wonderful place to get very reasonably priced food and great milkshakes. There is a bakery down the hill that serves fresh baked goods and a delicious vegetarian restaurant named Essence Arenal. The house was the perfect base for our exploration of this incredibly beautiful area.

Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

Tess W.

Nov 30, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location

Loved watching the birds in the morning on the balcony with a cup of coffee! So much to do within an hour's drive. I wish we had more time to check it all out. Easy to communicate with property manager and to check in/out. Recommend getting groceries from far away as most of the close stores have only the basics.

Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Stacy P., Charlotte

Apr 24, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

THE VIEW!

Holy cow - the view from this place is priceless! There is also a bakery that you can walk to down the hill each morning and an amazing restaurant up the hill that we would go to at night. It's about a 30 min drive into La Fortuna for activities which isn't bad at all. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jared H.

Feb 14, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful old Costa Rica

If you are looking for an escape to old Costa Rica with an amazing viewing platform of Arenal volcano, this is your spot. The village of El Castillo is quaint and 2 great restaurants are walking distance from the property. Augustin was great to work with, but Vrbo has a weird quirk that doesn't give you a confirmation of your reservation. Check directly with Augustin the manager of the property.

Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Susan C.

Nov 24, 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Mirador House - El Castillo

The house was just as it appeared in the photographs. It was comfortable and quiet (except for the bird life of course). The back yard sitting area was a wonderful spot for morning coffee and late afternoon lounging. The only improvement I would suggest is some better pans in the kitchen. I would recommend this house without hesitation. Management was also very professional and friendly.

Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Tara P.

Jun 17, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The View!

We enjoyed a short stay at this home. Its in the perfect location for rural experience of Costa Rica, but close enough to jump over to La Fortunas tourist trap. We watched the parrots (yellow naped and toucans) play and eat every morning with the volcano backdrop. We also got to see a pizote on our ride into La Fortuna. The Butterfly Conservatory is magical and within walking distance. We had a great and inexpensive meal at Ventamita Cafe as we enjoyed the view. We went to La Fortuna for horseback riding (Don Tobias), hot springs (Los Lagos) and of course, the waterfall. Dont miss out on the shampoo ginger growing all over in El Castillo. It's super fun for the kids, its a natural shampoo plant that you can squeeze and put into your hair.

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Bryan B., Concord, USA

Jun 27, 2023

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome views and charm

We really enjoyed our stay but it wasn't very clean when we arrived. The cottage was very cozy (very charming) and the view from the covered deck was spectacular with lots of birds. The people at the welcome center were extremely friendly and helpful. The location is very convenient to Arenal and La Fortuna. There was more to do than we could do in our short stay. On another note, the second nite when we returned, we found termites coming out of the walls in the shower. Lots of them. This place needs a thorough inspection and treatment or it will be sawdust.

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

Tracy L.

Mar 9, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A quiet gem

The house is located in El Castillo and not in La Fortuna which was fantastic. It is a smaller, quieter community yet still a short distance from La Fortuna. The house is beautiful with nice woodwork. The management staff were wonderful and responsive to questions. It is in walking distance to a couple of places to eat, a small store and most important, a bakery. The house was clean, spacious and had everything you need. It has a deck in the back (pictured) where you can spend hours looking at Lake Arenal, the volcano and an amazing amount of birds passing by the property. In our 3 week trip, we spent less time here than in other places and that was a HUGE mistake. There is much to do in the area. We most certainly would rent this VRBO again.

Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2023

4/10 Poor

Jeff I.

Jan 21, 2024

Liked: Communication

Disliked: Check-in, location, listing accuracy

Great view, substandard house

No hot water. Lumpy sorry excuse for a couch, rooster next door starts at 3:30 and goes to 6:30. Guide book leaves of great special places uphill. Guidebook is out of date with prices and has no contact info for recommendations. No laundry detergent. Why make us by new package whe we want to do one ore two loads.? lol ace a fe detergent pillows. The town is full of money grabbers. nOT recommended.

Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2024

6/10 Okay

Rasi W.

Dec 8, 2024

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful location but a very dated property

In contrast to most of the other opinions here, we had a very different experience. To begin with the check-in process was very quick and efficient. The property manager is just down the road, and he’s very attentive. Unfortunately, the condition and state of the properties a whole different story. The house is very dated, extremely rundown, and in serious need of a facelift. When we arrived, all the furniture was covered with dusty blankets which the property manager promptly removed. However, although the bedsheets were clean, the furniture was very dusty. The bathroom is partially exposed to the living room with the washbasin in the living room itself, and the toilet and shower in two separate cubicles. The toilet and shower cubicles were cramped and moldy smelling. The floors were quite dirty and the beds were creaking with every movement. I would also note, that the beautiful balcony that you see in the photographs is not attached to the house, but a separate gazebo built outside of the house. We did have some beautiful views from there. Overall, based on the quality of the property, this was not worth the money. I feel strongly that the owner should probably put some time and effort into renovating the property from its current state, and the value proposition would be much better. We regularly stay in VRBOs during our vacations and are generally a good judge of quality but we left feeling that with Casa Mirador we really missed the mark.

Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Brad G.

Mar 28, 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fun & Quirky Place to Stay with a Great View!

We found our stay enjoyable - El Encanto is surrounded by beauty. The abundant amount of flowers and wildlife were a great treat. The house is very beautiful and well taken cared for, we enjoyed coffee and fruit on the deck. One consideration is the layout of the house is a bit quirky. We appreciated the washer and dryer since this was the second part of our trip. The shower had an odd layout, it's hard to describe but as you step out of the shower to grab your towel you are in the open kitchen - this would probably be fine if you are solo or with your partner. We didn't find places to hang our towels so they were draped over the chairs. It's not a big deal for a short stay. The caretaker of the house, Augustine, was very accommodating. He reached out prior to our stay with helpful recommendations and was very responsive to text messages. Since we were staying there for several days we needed more supplies than what was stocked in the house. Augustine quickly brought us plenty of supplies without any hesitation. We loved that the area was very walkable. We strolled down to the market, the restaurants, and the butterfly conservatory. Taking a bit of a break from driving but still having access to things was nice. There is plenty to do nearby. The views of the volcano are very beautiful.

Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2020

10/10 Excellent

Janelle B.

Dec 9, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Setting, setting, setting

The view is spectacular - I loved sitting on the deck every morning to enjoy it with a cup of coffee. The house is as described. There are some bugs and a gecko, but when you see the setting, it makes sense and using chemicals would hurt the beautiful surroundings. Beds were very comfortable. You will hear roosters every morning and sometimes the day. They belong to the neighbor and you just have to get used to it. I was aware and just dealt with it. If you have the air-conditioner on in the bedrooms it is not as loud. Every morning we opened up the doors and windows and let the wonderful breeze come through to air out the house and cool it down (might be why we had bugs!). Totally worth it. The cool mountain air is fresh and invigorating. We closed up if leaving or once the sun started to go down. I didn't get one mosquito bite! FYI Costa Rican roads are DIFFICULT. Be ready to drive some harrowing roads. This home is in a great area with some great restaurants and tours available, but there are big hills. I had a sprained ankle so we drove, but if I had been healthy we would have got some good cardio in. If you have food allergies, there is a restaurant called Essence up the road that will accommodate it all. The hostess is always there and remembers what you told her. Cocoa tour was fun. Fantastic bakery down the road - stores, restaurants as well. La Fortuna nearby (20min). Host was just down the road and was responsive and very nice. We really enjoyed staying here!

Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023

Unlock instant savings with Member Prices

Beautiful and Private home in the Heart of the Village with great Volcano views!

Photo gallery for Beautiful and Private home in the Heart of the Village with great Volcano views!

Entire home

Popular amenities

Add dates for prices

About this property

Entire place